The death toll from South Africa's winter initiation season has climbed to 43, prompting authorities to intensify enforcement efforts that have seen 40 arrests, the closure of 58 illegal initiation schools and the opening of 116 criminal cases.
Mpumalanga has recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 18 initiates losing their lives. The Eastern Cape has reported 14 deaths, followed by the North West with four, Limpopo with three, and Gauteng and the Free State with two deaths each.
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa described the continued loss of life as unacceptable, saying stricter consequence management would be implemented against those who fail to fulfil their responsibilities in overseeing initiation practices.
"We can't lose so many young people every season. This is something that can be avoided," Hlabisa said.
The minister also called on parents to play a more active role in ensuring their children attend only registered and legally recognised initiation schools, warning against entrusting them to illegal facilities.
While acknowledging the government's ongoing efforts to regulate the practice, Hlabisa stressed that preventing further deaths requires shared responsibility between authorities, traditional leaders and parents.
The crackdown forms part of ongoing efforts to improve safety during the annual initiation season and curb the operation of illegal schools that continue to place initiates' lives at risk.